What is “Differential Diagnosis”?

There is an old adage in medicine that says “When you hear hoof beats, think horses. Don’t think zebras.” This phrase can be applied to every patient and case; your eyes don’t tell the whole story. It is usually good advice to confirm the obvious, rather than spending time and resources investigating rare things. Consider the virtue of the “differential diagnosis”. In medicine, the differential diagnosis is a process by which the consideration of diagnosing one disease is distinguished fr...
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Periodontist Turned Patient

  As a periodontist, I pride myself on healthy gums. I admit to only getting a prophylaxis when the schedule permitted. My home care most likely resembles what most dental professional do, brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush and flossing most days. In grad school, it was discovered I had a few 4mm periodontal pockets. However, my professors were not concerned and I was never diagnosed with periodontal disease. Now fast forward several years. At age 37, after surviving an...
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Definitions By Matt: What is PCR?

Our readers have expressed curiosity about the technology of a clinical laboratory. “Definitions by Matt” will be a continuing series to highlight your questions and provide insight into the clinical laboratory processes and terminologies. “What is PCR (polymerase chain reaction)?” DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is present in every living cell from Humans to plants to bacteria and is used to store information. DNA is found in long chains of building blocks, called bases. Cells contain ...
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